All immunizations must be completed by the first date of attendance. The law requires that students be fully vaccinated against the specified diseases.

Provisional enrollment allows a student meeting certain specific criteria to be admitted to school on a temporary basis for up to 30 days. A student may be enrolled provisionally if the student has an immunization record that indicates the student has received at least one dose of each specified age-appropriate vaccine required by this rule. A student must not be overdue for the next dose in a series to be considered provisional. To remain enrolled, the student must complete the required subsequent doses in each vaccine series on schedule and as rapidly as is medically feasible and provide acceptable evidence of vaccination to the school.

A school nurse or school administrator shall review the immunization status of a provisionally enrolled student every 30 days to ensure continued compliance in completing the required doses of vaccination. During this 30-day period, the parent is responsible for ensuring that the student receives the necessary vaccine(s) as fast as is medically feasible, and/or providing a complete and current immunization record to the school. Texas schools are also responsible for ensuring that immunization records are sent to requesting Texas schools within the 30-day period. If, at the end of the 30-day period, a student has not received a subsequent dose of vaccine, the student is not in compliance and the school shall exclude the student from school attendance until the required dose is administered.

Additional guidelines for provisional enrollment of students can be found in The TX DSHS Provisional Enrollment for Students Flowchart (pg. 2).

Provisional enrollment allows a student to enroll in school under the following situations:

Transfer Students

Students transferring from one Texas public or private school to another can be enrolled provisionally for no more than 30 days while awaiting the transfer of the immunization record.

For assistance with translation of immunization records, please contact El Paso Public Health, Immunization Services at 915-212-6555.

Homeless Students

Students who are defined as homeless according to the federal McKinney-Vento Act, 42 U.S.C. §11434a can be admitted provisionally for 30 days if acceptable evidence of vaccination is not available. The school shall promptly refer the student to appropriate public health programs to obtain the required vaccinations.

Students In-Progress

Students who have received at least one dose of each specified age-appropriate vaccine required by the DSHS rules. To remain enrolled, students must complete the required subsequent doses of each vaccine series on schedule and as rapidly as is medically feasible and provide acceptable evidence of vaccination to the school. A school nurse or school administrator shall review the immunization status of a provisionally enrolled student every 30 days to ensure continued compliance in completing the required doses of vaccination. If, at the end of the 30-day period, a student has not received a subsequent dose of vaccine, the student is not in compliance and the school shall exclude the student from school attendance until the required dose(s) is (are) administered.

Military Dependents

A dependent of a person who is on active duty with the armed forces of the United States can be enrolled provisionally for no more than 30 days if he/she transfers from one school to another and is awaiting the transfer of the immunization record.

Texas Administrative Code (TAC) §97.62 and 97.69

Can a child without an immunization record be enrolled provisionally if they are not homeless, are not transferring from a Texas school or are not progressing towards obtaining immunizations as fast as is medically feasible?

No. The child must obtain the first doses of the required vaccines, and then they can be admitted provisionally as long as they are progressing towards receiving the remaining required vaccines as fast as is medically feasible.

Tornillo Independent School District

Immunizations

Texas Minimum Immunization Requirements

Provisional Enrollment

Exemption Information

Immunization Resources

Submitting Immunization Records

How to Request an Immunization Record

Frequently Asked Questions